FIFA bans six officials for corruption

Football's world governing body FIFA has banned six match officials from all football-related activity, both at national and international level, for life.

Sinisa Zrnic, Kenan Bajramovic and Rizah Ridalovic from Bosnia-Herzegovina, along with Kolos Lengyel, Janos Csak and Krisztian Selmeczi of Hungary, were found guilty of corruption and of influencing match results, FIFA said.

"The breach (of the FIFA disciplinary code) was committed in relation to the international "A" friendly matches Bolivia-Latvia and Estonia-Bulgaria played in Antalya, Turkey on 9 February 2011," FIFA said in a statement on its website.

Authorities were alerted after unusual betting patterns on the two games were spotted.

Estonia drew 2-2 against Bulgaria and Bolivia beat Latvia 2-1, with all seven goals being scored through penalties.

Officials from all four national teams later complained to FIFA, who in turn launched the investigation.